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Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company
from Wikipedia, as it appeared on 18 July, 2015. Liggett Group, formerly known as Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company, is the fourth largest tobacco company in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Durham, North Carolina, though its manufacturing facility is 30 miles to the west in Mebane, North Carolina. The company is a subsidiary of holding company Vector Group. History John Edmund Liggett's grandfather, Christopher Foulks, was the owner of a snuff mill in New Egypt, New Jersey. During the War of 1812, the mill was razed by British soldiers. Foulks moved west around 1820 and opened a new snuff shop in Belleville, Illinois, in 1822. In 1833, he moved his tobacco business to St. Louis, Missouri, where, between 1844 – 1847 (dates uncertain), John Edmund Liggett entered his grandfather's business. By 1858, Foulks's company was known as J. E. Liggett and Brother. Around 1869, the company created the first blended cigarettes, using a mixture of Turkish and Virginia tobaccos. A partnership was formed with George Smith Myers of Missouri, and, in 1873, The Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company was incorporated. In 1876, Liggett & Myers introduced L & M plug chewing tobacco. During the 1880s, it entered the cigarette business, and by 1885 the company had become the world's largest manufacturer of plug chewing tobacco. John E. Liggett died in 1897, and two years later, Liggett & Myers was acquired by the American Tobacco Company, controlled by James Buchanan Duke. George S. Myers died in 1910, and the following year, the U.S. Court of Appeals issued a Dissolution Decree to the American Tobacco Company, which created the opportunity for Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company to be reborn. The newly independent company set up its headquarters in St. Louis once again. Liggett & Myers continued to release new brands. In 1912, Chesterfield was reintroduced as a Turkish-Virginia blended cigarette, and in 1915, Burley and Maryland tobaccos were added to the Chesterfield blend. It was in 1916 that Chesterfield became the first cigarette to add a moisture-proof, overall cover to the paper and foil pack. In 1917, the company built a warehouse and factory at Huntington, West Virginia. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. By 1921, cigarettes had become the most popular means of consuming tobacco. Continuing to innovate, in 1952, Liggett & Myers became the first company to offer cigarettes in two sizes, under the Chesterfield brand: King Size (85 mm) and Regular (70 mm). In 1953, L & M filter cigarettes were introduced. In 1963, Lark cigarettes, with a charcoal filter tip, were introduced. In 1968 the company changed its name to Liggett & Myers, Incorporated. In 1970, the Eve brand was launched in regular and menthol. In 1974, Liggett & Myers acquired the trademark rights to brands formerly made by Larus and Brothers Co. from the latter's Canadian owners, Rothmans of Pall Mall. The company again changed its name in 1976 to Liggett Group, Inc., with Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company as a division. In 1980, Eve 120's were launched nationally, and the same year Liggett was acquired by Grand Metropolitan PLC. In 1981, Liggett introduced the generic cigarette concept. Another name change took place in 1983, this time the head company becoming GrandMet U.S.A. with the tobacco company officially named Liggett Group Inc. In 1983, smoker Rose Cipollone filed a lawsuit against the Liggett Group and two other tobacco companies that manufactured the cigarettes she smoked. Cipollone died of lung cancer in 1984, but the trial continued. The Liggett Group was charged $400,000 in damages in a 1988 court decision, but in 1992 the decision was reversed on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Cipollone v. Liggett Group, Inc.. In 1986, Bennett S. LeBow purchased Liggett from Grand Metropolitan. In 1987, Liggett's stock was offered publicly on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1988, Liggett introduced Pyramid cigarettes. In 1990, Liggett became a subsidiary of Brooke Group Ltd., a holding company owned by Mr. LeBow. That same year, The Wall Street Journal acclaimed Pyramid as "one of the most successful cigarette introductions of the decade". 1992 marked the year that Eve and Lark were relaunched with new packaging and backed by large advertising and promotional campaigns. In 1993, Liggett developed its Control Label concept, offering customers exclusivity to market Control Brands owned by Liggett. By 1994 Liggett had expanded its Control Label family to a total of 8 brands. In 1995–1996, the company attempted unsuccessfully to take over the much larger R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. In 1996–1997, Liggett Group had become the first tobacco company to settle smoking-related litigation brought by the Attorneys General of several states. In 1998, Liggett signed the Master Settlement Agreement, and 1999 saw the formation of Vector Tobacco Inc. In 1999, Liggett Vector Brands Inc. sold the L & M, Lark, and Chesterfield brands to Philip Morris Companies Inc.., now known as the Altria Group. Liggett's sister company, Vector Tobacco, currently makes a genetically engineered reduced-nicotine cigarette: Quest. Former Brands * Adair * Adam * Air-Lite * Aloha * Chesterfield -- now manufactured by the Altria Group. Links * Back to Manufacturers' Index * Back to United States